Nancy María Grande Tabor grew up in Loreto, Mexico. She attended the University of the Americas in Mexico City and received her master's degree in education from Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

"I am a product of two cultures. In a way, I belong to both the United States and Mexico and in a way, I am a stranger. But this gives me an advantage because I can address both cultures and inform each culture about the other culture. This has been the basis for the children's books I am creating. It is because of the great need I see to bridge cultures that I began these books.

I have had a very exciting life through travel. I love going to new places and learning new things. I love learning, and I love teaching. And I love creating. At eight years old, I decided I was going to be a poet. I have always written. And I have painted. When I saw the need for books, I had to write, but more than that, I had to provide the illustrations. They could not be done by someone else. I have found a whole new experience, somewhat like traveling to new places. Now I watch the places I create.

I am a dancer. And that too was realized at an older age. Learning and becoming is a never-ending experience. I cannot just dream. I need to create and see my creations materialized."

—Nancy María Grande Tabor

Nancy is the author of several bilingual books for Charlesbridge, including El gusto del Mercado Mexicano/A Taste of the Mexican Market, Somos un Arcos Iris/We Are A Rainbow, Cincuenta en la Cebra/Fifty on the Zebra, and Albertina anda Arriba/Albertina Goes Up.

Nancy is a bilingual teacher in Sonoma, California. She often speaks at schools, libraries, and conferences to emphasize the need for language-rich books in Spanish. She stresses the importance of understanding other cultures and the reflection of culture through literature in both her presentations and her books.>

Download a photo of Nancy Maria Grande Tabor.

Books by Nancy Maria Grande Tabor